Catching the Magic

Two Brits in Aotearoa bringing up three NZ born daughters. Our children: Our future. Haere Mai!

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sleep is for the weak

What made today mean something?

July 5, 2011 BritMumInNZ 10 Comments Alice, Art, Writing

I knew how it was going to end before they even began. I wished for a moment the grown up in me, lurking somewhere, would step forward and declare the activity ill-timed. But the child in me wanted to aid their spontaneous creativity; even though the adult knew we’d be forced to clean up the […]

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Courage

June 13, 2011 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Random Musings, Sarah, Sophie, Writing

When I think of the word ‘Courage’ I think of the ‘Lion’ in the ‘Wizard of Oz’. He spends the story looking for courage, only to find it was there, deep inside. Courage is often something we wish for, want or desperately need. Finding it and keeping a hand on it whilst we walk over […]

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I Am: ‘Sleep is for the Weak’ Writing Workshop

November 25, 2010November 26, 2010 BritMumInNZ 12 Comments Sarah, Sophie, Writing

I Am Alive in the moment. Engaged in the now. A body of excitement, Bathed in the sun’s glow. Traces of the sea, stay to play. As my skin drips, with jewels of spray. The taste on my tongue is salty sweet, Whilst waves of foam crash at my feet. I giggle as the surf […]

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Due Date: Six months of waiting to be with the one I loved.

November 20, 2010November 20, 2010 BritMumInNZ 20 Comments Blasts from the past, Dan, Sarah, Writing

Joining in with Sleep is for the Weak Writing Workshop: Life on Film this week. I chose the first prompt: Due Date – Tell us about something anticipated and what happened when it arrived. ‘Daniel is leaving tonight on a plane, I can see the tail lights heading for Spain…’ The words of the song […]

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Coming Up For Air: A day like any other?

November 6, 2010November 11, 2010 BritMumInNZ 11 Comments Random Musings, Writing

Sometimes it feels good to dump down the activities of the day in words. To let everything go like a leaf at the mercy of the autumn wind or blossom raining down to carpet the ground in a spring shower. To come up for air. To appreciate the two forces at work in a strong […]

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Waiting for the holidays to start

September 23, 2010September 24, 2010 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Sarah, School hols

Term 3 comes to a close tomorrow and the children break up for two weeks holiday. For me, it’s going to be all go in the catering, entertaining, mediating and facilitating department. I have got rather too used to ‘just Alice and me’ time in the morning whilst Sophie is out at Kindi and Charlotte […]

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Change

September 8, 2010 BritMumInNZ 17 Comments Random Musings, Sarah, Writing

It’s happened before and it’s happening again. I thought I’d escaped it this time, but the pricking sensation behind my eyes was back. I wanted to cry, just because. There was no rhyme or reason. The children’s laughter was heard, but not felt. The bread was fresh, but not smelt. The flowers, so pretty brought […]

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First Kiss – a long time coming

August 19, 2010August 19, 2010 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Random Musings

Ever since my friend Emma told me how babies are really made I haven’t been able to look at boys in the same way. It was all so simple before I knew. Now being 10 feels different. Some of my friends have started playing kiss chase. If you get caught you’re supposed to hide in […]

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Trying to stay focused on the magic

August 6, 2010August 6, 2010 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Random Musings

I’d forgotten how life with a baby can sometimes feel a little relentless. It’s easy to get caught up in the repetition and forget to focus on the magic. Yesterday started well, with berry muffins freshly baked and cooling down at 9.30am. Sophie, still home from Kindi with a cold, played well and Alice was […]

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Hope, Faith, Love & Luck

July 29, 2010 BritMumInNZ 11 Comments Random Musings

The junior school field was a sea of clover in the summer. I was at that magical age of seven when everything seems possible and the world full of intrigue and mystery. I’d heard about the legendary four-leaf clover and with a sea of clover under my bare-feet I couldn’t resist the thought that one […]

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Walking back in time

July 22, 2010August 19, 2010 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Sarah

‘Race you to the top!’ I shouted to my sister as my legs started at a run up to the summit of the hill. ‘See you up there girls. We’ll take our time and enjoy the scenery,’ my Dad said with a smile of pride and perhaps a hint of envy at our boundless energy. […]

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  • Christmas and a Birthday in Wellington January 12, 2023
  • Summer highlights from the Wairarapa January 8, 2023
  • A long weekend with friends near Goat Island Marine Reserve January 6, 2023
  • It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – southern hemisphere style! December 23, 2022
  • Wellington Lantern Festival – in the spring rain December 18, 2022
  • Toast Martinborough – Wine and Food Festival December 16, 2022
  • Spring running highlights on Wellington’s trails December 14, 2022
  • Trail goodness in the southern Remutaka Ranges October 25, 2022
  • Family, hills & roller-coasters! October 22, 2022
  • Summer visit to London in July; seeing friends, West End Shows, National Art Gallery, Women’s Euro 2022 & corgis! October 14, 2022
  • North-east Cornwall holiday snapshots (part 2) September 3, 2022
  • Summer holiday in North-East Cornwall (part 1) August 30, 2022

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